{"id":1269,"date":"2017-05-22T13:05:13","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moretimeforyou.co.za\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2017-05-22T13:05:13","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T13:05:13","slug":"10-ways-to-overcome-procrastination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moretimeforyou.co.za\/index.php\/10-ways-to-overcome-procrastination\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips to Overcome Procrastination! Virtual Concierge Services \u2013 More Time for You!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"procrastination_full\"<\/p>\n

While there are common causes and reasons for procrastination, there are even more \u201ccures\u201d. Pick through these ten ideas to find strategies that work for you.<\/p>\n

Banish Guilt<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been a procrastinator since childhood, it may have been made worse by overly-authoritarian parents or teachers. Procrastination can also be a type of avoidance behavior, where those who feel habitually feel powerless take back personal power in the only way known to them \u2014 procrastination on tasks they are ordered to do.<\/p>\n

Along with avoidance-based procrastination unfortunately goes its offshoots\u2014guilt and shame. We hear the voices of those authority figures telling us that we \u201cblew it again\u201d, \u201ccan\u2019t be depended on\u201d; even all-or-nothing statements like \u201cyou\u2019re a complete failure\u201d (usually accompanied by comparisons to a perfect sibling or neighborhood example)\u2014long after we\u2019ve grown up and supposedly left all childhood voices behind.<\/p>\n

Guilt and shame have no place in working on becoming the person we were born to be. One good dose of shaming (especially from yourself) and you\u2019re likely to revert to the one defense you\u2019ve truly mastered\u2014the mental equivalent of curling up in a fetal ball in a darkened room\u2014procrastinate.<\/p>\n

Learn to banish guilt by using cognitive reframing. Replace those excoriating self-lashes with phrases based in reality. For example, instead of saying to yourself, \u201cI did it again. I\u2019m a complete screw-up!\u201d try stating just the facts. (\u201cI spent an hour of `me\u2019 time. Now it\u2019s time to put that aside and go to work.\u201d)<\/p>\n

It feels much better when you take the blame-and-shame out of your procrastination habits, and focus on realistic solutions.<\/p>\n

Tame the Time Stealers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Keep an eye out for \u201ctime stealers\u201d\u2014small tasks that nibble away minutes and eventually hours from our days. These usually turn out to be tasks such as checking email, checking Facebook, answering the telephone while you\u2019re working, answering the door, getting up to make a cup of coffee\u2026 It doesn\u2019t matter what you stop working to do: Record it!<\/p>\n

Keep a log for a few days, and see where you are spending too much time on one particular distraction (for example, you may discover you actually get up to make six or seven cups of tea or coffee during the day, when you were sure it was only three or four).<\/p>\n

Repetitive behaviors can become procrastination habits. Tame them by setting a limit to how many times per day you can indulge in that particular activity; or set a time limit\u2014for example, \u201cten minutes only for checking email\u201d.<\/p>\n

Put your Mobile Away!<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re compulsive message-checker or mobile message sender, don\u2019t even leave your mobile in the same room.<\/p>\n

Unless you\u2019re waiting for news of earth-shattering importance (a grandchild about to be born any second or a status update on a critically ill relative), the world won\u2019t end without you checking your messages.<\/p>\n

And you\u2019ll be training people who don\u2019t respect your work hours that you really do have boundaries.<\/p>\n

Go outdoors!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next time you feel overwhelmed enough to take a break, don\u2019t fall into one of your habitual procrastination behaviors: Take a brisk, twenty-minute walk or go sit on the deck for ten minutes.<\/p>\n

Fresh air helps both psychologically and by boosting oxygen production to clear the cobwebs from our brains. Tell yourself you\u2019re taking a break\u2014not procrastinating (which you would have been doing, had you got sucked into your traditional game of Candy Crush).<\/p>\n

Besides, a brisk twenty-minute walk per day will give you your daily exercise!<\/p>\n

Break it Down<\/strong><\/p>\n

If a task seems overwhelming, break it down into its smallest steps. Then focus on only performing \u201cthe next step\u201d.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find you are more easily able to start even the most overwhelming task if you can identify and take that all-important first step.<\/p>\n

Recognize that Excuses are not Reasons<\/strong><\/p>\n

Next time you tell yourself you can\u2019t do something yet, listen to your reasons.<\/p>\n

Realize that ninety-five per cent of these are actually going to be excuses. For example, \u201cI work better under pressure\u201d really means \u201cI\u2019m in the habit of waiting till the last moment and using the pressure of a deadline as a motivator\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just a habit that puts stress on you\u2014not a justification for waiting.<\/p>\n

Do It Every Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you constantly \u201cforget\u201d to do tasks or actions you\u2019re \u201ctrying\u201d to do, it may be because you haven\u2019t yet created a habit.<\/p>\n

Popular psychology says it takes twenty-one days to create a habit. A NASA study found it took their test participants a little longer\u2014at least thirty days\u2014and they also discovered that if you break your new \u201chabit\u201d for even one day before the thirty-day period is up, you\u2019ll be right back at square one. (Read about it on Deb Cheslow\u2019s blog<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Keep your Lists Short<\/strong><\/p>\n

Focus on no more than three top priorities\u2014and congratulate yourself if you get one done.<\/p>\n

(If you have perfectionist tendencies, put the sub-title \u201cOptional\u201d over priorities #2 and # 3\u2014that way, you won\u2019t feel you\u2019ve \u201cfailed\u201d.)<\/p>\n

Only when you\u2019ve cleared the priorities should you add more tasks or actions to your list.<\/p>\n

Focus on Your Success!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes the simplest strategies are the best strategies of all. Gretchen Ruben, best-selling author of The Happiness Project<\/a>, shares this tip:<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the top of a piece of paper, write, \u201cBy the end of today, I will have __________.\u201d This also gives you the thrill of crossing a task off your list.\u201d<\/p>\n

The urge to procrastinate can never totally be eliminated\u2014it does serve a purpose. It\u2019s usually a sign something isn\u2019t right with us. But know what that purpose or reason is, when you procrastinate: And know that it\u2019s your right to develop effective strategies to totally bust it, every time.<\/p>\n

Hire a Virtual Assistant<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hire out, eliminate or delegate 80-90% of all tasks that lead you to procrastinate to a Virtual Assistant. Keep only the few tasks that you and only you can be responsible for.<\/p>\n

Life will become lighter and more liberated as you align your life with more joy-filled and inspiring tasks and release the rest! There are resources for getting your dreaded-but-important tasks complete. You can hire a virtual assistant a few hours each week.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Talk to VCS \u2013 More Time for YOU to take over those tasks that you procrastinate about!!<\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While there are common causes and reasons for procrastination, there are even more \u201ccures\u201d. Pick through these ten ideas to find strategies that work for you. Banish Guilt If you\u2019ve been a procrastinator since childhood, it may have been made worse by overly-authoritarian parents or teachers. Procrastination can also be a type of avoidance behavior, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-1269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/moretimeforyou.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/YouTube-Size-1.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/moretimeforyou.co.za\/feed\/podcast\/vcs-more-time-for-you-vcs-slices-of-business-life","embedCode":"

10 Tips to Overcome Procrastination! Virtual Concierge Services \u2013 More Time for You!<\/a><\/blockquote>